EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL
‘A GLOBAL SUCCESS STORY’ THE TIMES
SCIENCE FESTIVAL ANNUAL REVIEW 2012–2013
‘The Festival’s 25 years have inspired and educated’ Edinburgh Evening News
DIRECTOR’S REPORT Since 1989 the scale of our operation has
The 2013 Science Festival programme
changed dramatically, but our vision and
marked the occasion of our 25th year by
mission remains the same – to inspire people
celebrating our past, enjoying our present
of all ages and backgrounds to discover the
and looking forward to a dynamic future.
world around them. This year we celebrated
This future-focused theme saw the Festival
the 25th Edinburgh International Science
expand into new genres and formats,
Festival and I am delighted to say that we
exploring the relationship between science,
now reach over half a million people every
creativity and art.
year through our Festival, education and international programmes.
New York-based experiential artist Jason Hackenwerth created his double helix
Year on year we seek to push the
balloon sculpture Pisces in residence at the
boundaries of amazing and engaging
National Museum of Scotland, building
science, delivering a unique and memorable
the biggest spectacle the Science Festival
experience to our audiences. Our creative
has ever seen. The Festival also hosted
and inspirational approach and diverse
Scotland’s first ever Mini Maker Faire at
programme saw adult audiences at our
Summerhall. This day-long celebration of all
2013 Festival grow by 28%, with many of
things DIY brought together an incredibly
our family events selling out each day.
diverse and talented group of artists, crafters, geeks and tinkerers, who shared
their work and ideas with 3,000 visitors of
Our touring education programme
Our continuing development of international
all ages.
Generation Science once again reached
partnerships allows us to expand our
almost 60,000 primary school children
programme, develop new inspiring content
The Edinburgh Medal was awarded jointly
across the country, supporting both pupils
and increase our investment in the Edinburgh
for the first time in 2013 to Professor
and teachers in their engagement with
International Science Festival to bring
Peter Higgs, the world-renowned scientist
science and technology. Our Live for It!
audiences even more sensational science in
among the first to suggest the existence of
health and wellbeing project continues to
the years to come.
the long-sought Higgs Boson particle; and
expand across Scotland and we took part
CERN, the world-class organisation that led
in schools outreach in Abu Dhabi for the first
So here’s to the next 25! I’d like to offer a
the quest to find it. The announcement in
time.
huge thanks to all of our city partners and funders, some of whom have been working
late 2012 that the Large Hadron Collider had detected the elusive particle made the
In 2012 we once again acted as
with us since 1989. We could not deliver
celebration of this great collaborative work
Programme Partner for the Abu Dhabi
such a rich programme of events without
even more powerful. I’m pleased to report
Science Festival, working with the Abu
these valuable relationships. I’d also like
that, despite the growth of the Festival, we
Dhabi government. Expanding on the
to thank each one of our talented and
remain committed to accessibility. A large
Festival’s inaugural year in 2011, in 2012
committed staff who keep us going from
portion of our programme comprises of
we programmed more than 70 events over
strength to strength each year and, not least,
free events and events that are ticketed are
11 days; including brand new content
our audiences for their continued support
subsidised allowing us to consistently offer
created by the Edinburgh International
and involvement.
low prices.
Science Festival.
Dr Simon Gage OBE Director
FESTIVAL PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Here are just some of our highlights from the 25th Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Pisces
Mini Maker Faire
‘Pisces was spectacular!’
‘Very busy but awesome day at Edinburgh
Audience Member, 2013
Mini Maker Faire yesterday!’
Built from scratch in the National Museum of
@talentedapple
Scotland, Jason Hackenwerth’s giant balloon
The Edinburgh Mini Maker Faire on Sunday
sculpture, celebrating our 25th Festival, was
7 April was the first ever Maker event to
suspended in the Grand Gallery for three
take place in Scotland; a unique showcase
weeks. The piece attracted global media
of creativity and invention featuring over 50
coverage and was seen by over 132,000
inspirational makers and attended by 3,000
Museum visitors.
people.
City Art Centre
Patterns in Nature
‘A properly magical event’
‘It’s a grey day in Edinburgh but these
Richard Bacon, BBC Radio 5 Live
@edscifest pictures are brightening up St
Our flagship family venue welcomed over
Andrew Square’
12,000 visitors in 2013 and featured two
@VMLounges
brand new events – Polyfloss Factory and
Our large-scale photography exhibition in St
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Andrew Square took the theme of Patterns in Nature attracting an incredible 135,000 visits during its 8-week installation.
Our Future-focused Programme ‘Brilliant event! Fantastic speakers, fun experiments and great science’ Audience Member 2013 The 25th Science Festival looked to the future, delivering engaging events exploring the challenges and solutions that will shape the years to come.
Our Audience
Food for Thought ‘Tonight, I ate puréed bugs. On toast.’
‘A smorgasbord of talks, activities and
@little_krow
experiences’
Over 800 people took part in our food
The Skinny
and drinks events exploring everything from
Over 90,000 people attended a Science
adapting our diets to the future of vertical
Festival event during the 15-day Festival
farming.
while audiences for ticketed events in our adult programme increased by 28%.
Media ‘Mind-bogglingly good’
And they liked it…
The Herald Pisces and the Edinburgh Medal received
From our surveyed audience, 96% of
global media attention while our eating
respondents were satisfied or very satisfied
insects launch captured the public’s
with the Science Festival event they
imagination with nationwide press coverage
attended.
and lively debate. Richard Bacon broadcast
Edinburgh Medal ‘One of the key events at the Festival’ STV
his BBC Radio 5 Live show from the City Art Centre to a listening audience of half a million.
The 25th Edinburgh Medal was awarded
A Greener Festival
jointly for the first time in its history to
‘proving how easy it can be to have a
Professor Peter Higgs and CERN in
cleaner, greener lifestyle through a range of
recognition of their collaborative efforts in
hands-on activities’
the search for the Higgs Boson.
festivalsedinburgh.com We continued our successful partnership with Greener Scotland and presented The Future’s Bright at The Centre Livingston. Over 50,000 people visited and took part in our hands-on activities promoting everyday green choices and encouraging positive behaviour change.
‘This was a really valuable and entertaining experience for the children and supported their current learning.’ Teacher, St Peter’s Primary School, Ardrossan
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH The Science Festival’s education and outreach programme continues to grow and remains a key point of focus for the organisation year-round. We currently reach a quarter of Scotland’s primary schools every year.
Generation Science Generation Science, our touring programme of workshops and shows, has been bringing science to life in schools across Scotland for over 20 years. During 2012–13 the Generation Science tour reached over 60,000 pupils in Scotland, delivering over 1,500 shows and workshops.
100%
‘I think the show is very good for your brain. I enjoyed it so so much and never had more fun.’ P5 pupil, Clovenstone Primary School, Edinburgh
Teacher and Pupil Feedback 2013 100% of surveyed teachers agreed that Generation Science is relevant to the science curriculum 100% agreed that pupils demonstrated a
Live for It!
Outreach
Our health and wellbeing workshop
During 2012–13 our outreach work has
covered by Generation Science after taking
programme for children and young people,
expanded and we have provided content
part in the workshop
produced in collaboration with Diabetes
for local science events and festivals
UK Scotland, is now in its third year. This
including the Caithness International Science
100% agreed that Generation Science
successful project continues to grow and
Festival and the Dunbar Science Festival.
demonstrates to pupils that science can be
visited more schools than ever before in
fun
better understanding of the science topics
2013, touring over two terms.
Access to Education We are committed to providing access and equality across all our education and outreach activities. This year, thanks to the generous support of our funders, over a third of the Generation Science programme was delivered free of charge to schools in economically deprived or remote locations reaching 24,000 pupils.
100% of teachers said they would book Generation Science again
SPECIAL PROJECTS With 25 years experience in creating high quality and engaging science events, Edinburgh International Science Festival is a world leader in its field. In 2012–2013 we were involved in the following projects.
Abu Dhabi Science Festival
Lema?
The 11-day Festival featured 71 events,
In 2013, our Education programme
interactive workshops, activities and shows
expanded internationally for the first time,
programmed and presented by the team
working with the Abu Dhabi Technology
from Edinburgh International Science
Development Committee to deliver Lema?,
Festival. Overall the Festival attracted over
meaning ‘why’ in Arabic, a schools’
120,000 visitors – a 20% increase from
outreach programme designed to inspire
2012.
young people with science and technology. Lema? features popular shows developed
In order to deliver the festival, 800 local
by Edinburgh International Science Festival
Science Communicators were recruited from
and updated to suit UAE children, delivered
some of the leading UAE universities. They
in English and Arabic by local science
undertook a month long training programme
communicators.
delivered by Edinburgh International Science Festival before working alongside our 100-strong team.
Beijing Science Festival Thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, Pongy Potions and Splat-tastic toured to Beijing Science Festival. The shows and workshops proved to be incredibly popular during the weekend festival and our team entertained around 2,000 people.
Passion for Paralympics Exhibition A team from Edinburgh International Science Festival project managed the tour of Ottobock’s exhibition Passion for Paralympics. The exhibition, designed to raise awareness of Paralympic Sport and its athletes, toured the UK before taking up residence in Olympic Park for the 2012 Paralympic Games. The exhibition subsequently toured to Rio de Janero.
FINANCE
WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM?
WHERE DO ES
10%
Scottish Govt Grants
7%
Sponsorship
21%
Donations, Gift Aid
4%
Festival income
13%
Schools income
9%
WHERE THE MONEY IS SPENT Festival Events Delivery
45%
Education Events Delivery
28%
Marketing
8%
Fundraising Costs
6%
Management
6%
Overheads and Administration
8%
?
31%
F
WHERE
THE M
ON EY
T EN SP
6%
Trusts
CO M E
IS
Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund
MO NE Y
M RO
CEC Grant
THE
Total Income 1,629,401 Total Expenditure 1,424,379 The above figures are draft and unaudited, based on the finance records for year to 31 July 2013. Audited accounts to year end July 2013 will be available from December 2013.
ORGANISATION
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL
Edinburgh International Science Festival is
Directors
Honorary President
a high profile and dynamic educational
Simon Gage Director
The Rt Hon Donald Wilson Lord Lieutenant
charity. Each year it delivers one of Europe’s
Amanda Tyndall Deputy Festival Director
and Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh
programme which tours across Scotland and
Communications
Board of Directors
a variety of international projects including
Emma Pirie Marketing &
David Milne (Chair)
its role as Major Programme Partner for the
Communications Manager
Rev Ewan Aitken
Abu Dhabi Science Festival.
Joshua Smythe Graphic Designer
Cllr Angela Blacklock
Frances Sutton PR Manager (freelance)
Michael Fourman
Laura Bain Communications Officer
Cllr Cathy Fullerton
largest Science Festivals, an education
Creative
Stuart Munro
Eilidh Dunnet Events Developer
Ian Ritchie
Ali Floyd Events Developer (contract)
Cllr Cameron Rose
Augusta Macdonald Events Developer
Ben Thomson
Laura McLister Events Developer
Ian Wall
Rachel Sanger Fuselab Producer (freelance)
Philip Young
Matt Wright Events Developer Kate Southern Events Assistant (on placement from Napier University)
Discover the World
Cllr Norma Austin Hart
Development
Edinburgh International Science Festival photography Anneleen Lindsay (volunteer photographer)
Our vision is a world where the wonder
Helen Chomczuk Development Manager
Allan MacDonald
and value of science and technology is
Juliet Tweedie Development Officer
Linda MacPherson (volunteer photographer)
recognised and celebrated, in order to
Julie van den Driesche Development Officer
Chris Scott
#EdSciFest
achieve a brighter and more sustainable future.
Education Joan Davidson Education Manager
Our mission is to inspire, encourage and challenge people of all ages and
Patrick Campbell Education Co-ordinator
Joshua Smythe
Education Programme photography Allan MacDonald
backgrounds to explore and understand the
Finance & Administration
world around them – and to communicate
Andrew Owens Finance Manager
the educational, social and economic
Nicola Coutts PA to the Directors
Abu Dhabi Science Festival photography
benefits of science and technology.
Wendy McCormick Finance Assistant
Mica Colace (with thanks to ADSF)
Operations Amy Elder Production Manager Debbie Howard Production Manager Sarah O’Connor Production Assistant
Projects & Planning Gill Duncan Staff & Projects Manager Sian Bevan Researcher Michelle Myers Researcher Kirsty Smith Staff & Projects Assistant
FUTURE PROJECTS Edinburgh International Science Festival presents workshops and activities year round. Here are just some of our confirmed projects for 2013–2014.
Fuselab 1–9 July 2013 Fuselab is an out of this world experience for 16-20 year olds in which they will plan the future of an as yet uninhabited world. This residential course at Summerhall brings together 80 of the brightest minds from across the UK. Working closely alongside
Rock the Lab
professional mentors, the young innovators
July–August 2013
will respond to challenges that will open up
Our science busking team will be touring
creative thinking and inspire an innovative
to music festivals around Scotland in July/
approach to problem solving. Participants
August 2013 where the specially designed
will explore the creativity, communication
Sin Academy invites participants to discover
skills and business awareness that bring
the science behind their sin. Expect demos,
successful ideas to life, whilst learning about
debates and more than a few surprises.
the design process from initial concept to
A joint project with National Museums
prototypes and tests. Supported by the
Scotland. Supported by the Wellcome Trust.
Scottish Government’s Festivals Edinburgh Expo Fund.
Lema?
Abu Dhabi Science Festival 2013
Edinburgh International Science Festival April 2014
November 2013
The next Edinburgh International Science
We’re delighted to have been invited to
Festival will take place 5–20 April 2014.
continue our role as Major Programme
The full programme of events, activities and
Partner for the Abu Dhabi Science Festival.
exhibitions for all ages will be announced in
2013 sees us delivering a broader
February 2014.
programme including bespoke local content
September 2013
and helping attract a wider audience from
We will again be working with the Lema?
across the UAE.
team to tour schools in the UAE with specially adapted Generation Science
Generation Science
shows. These workshops are updated to
Touring January–May 2014
include local content and are delivered in
Our Generation Science team will hit the
Arabic and English.
road again in 2014, bringing science to life in classrooms across Scotland. Full programme announced August 2013.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Each year Edinburgh International Science
We are delighted with what our partnership
Festival receives significant sponsorship
with Edinburgh International Science Festival
and funding support to deliver its 2 week
enables us to achieve, not only from a CSR
festival and its national schools education
and marketing perspective, but in that it
programmes: Generation Science and
allows us to engage with thousands of bright
Live for It. We are extremely grateful to
young minds every year, and helps to inspire
our Principal Funding Partners, the City of
and nurture the next generation of scientists,
Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Government
technologists and engineers, which is key
and the Edina Trust for their significant
to building a strong future workforce for
ongoing support, and to all of our sponsors,
Scotland. We strongly believe that giving
funders and donors who allow us to engage
young people the chance to take part in
with more than half a million people each
hands-on science, through the likes of the
year.
Science Festival and Generation Science, is the best way to help spark what we hope
Support of the Edinburgh International
will become a lifelong interest in science.
Science Festival takes many forms, from
Dr Richard Laming, Chief Technical Officer, Wolfson
sponsorship of an entire floor of events
Microelectronics
at City Art Centre, to our world-class photography exhibition in St Andrews
Baillie Gifford are proud to be associated
Square. We have become adept at
with Edinburgh International Science Festival
developing creative sponsorship options to
again this year. We were delighted with
help our partners and supporters meet their
the success of ‘Patterns in Nature’ and
strategic CSR, marketing and PR objectives,
‘Landforms: An Audience with Charles
whilst embedding science in art, culture and
Jencks’ which combined science and art in
amazing experiences.
an innovative and inspiring way, reaching a huge audience across the city. Generation
Of equal importance to the Festival is our
Science is a brilliant way of bringing
work in schools. Fostering an interest in
science to life in the classroom, and allows
science and inspiring a new generation of
us to support local communities and future
scientists is at the heart of our work. Our
generations.
heartfelt thanks are extended to our many supporters for their significant investment in
We are already looking forward to next
the workforce of the future. They help us to
year!
address inequality, enabling us to deliver
Samantha Pattman, Events Co-ordinator, Baillie Gifford
activities in schools in particularly isolated
Investment Managers
and rural areas, and to those which operate on limited budgets.
Selex ES is proud to support the Edinburgh International Science Festival and
As Edinburgh International Science Festival
Generation Science. Over the years we
evolves and diversifies, we are constantly
have seen the Festival grow and mature.
seeking new ways to develop partnership
Every year we reach thousands of children
and creative sponsorship to ensure that
and adults and are enormously encouraged
we continue to be the biggest and - in our
by the interest and enthusiasm of the
opinion - the best science festival in the
children, some of whom come back year
world. The confidence and support of our
after year trying to improve their skills with
sponsors, donors and funders over the last
the Rampaging Chariots. We are confident
25 years of has made all this possible and
that the Festival and Generation Science are
we look forward to creating many more
inspiring the next generation of scientists and
festival and sensational science opportunities
engineers.
for the future.
Dr Allan B Colquhoun, University Liaison & Emerging Technologies Manager, Selex ES
WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR FUNDERS PRINCIPAL FUNDING PARTNERS
We would like to thank Generation Science Club members for their support of the Edinburgh International Science Festival’s
MAJOR FUNDING PARTNERS
schools touring programme. Generation Science club is a network of individuals and companies dedicated to engaging the next
1913-2013
generation in science and technology. Members of the club donate funds to help ensure our school shows and workshops can be enjoyed by all pupils – wherever they are and whatever their financial background. With particular thanks to:
MEMBERS
FUNDING PARTNERS
Dugdale Bradley Alex and Rhona Callander Edina Trust Joe Faraday Sandy Finlayson John Hylands Nimar Charitable Trust Ian Ritchie Barry and Helen Sealey The BEST Trust Selex ES Scottish Qualifications Authority University of Edinburgh Ian Wall
HONORARY MEMBERS David Sibbald Prof Lord Robert Winston Prof Anne Glover
EDUCATION AMBASSADORS Prof Jack Jackson
MAJOR VENUE AND PROGRAMMING PARTNERS
Strathclyde University Heather Reid OBE Walter Whitelaw Midlothian Council
TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS The Binks Trust
Garfield Weston Foundation
The Nancie Massey Charitable Trust
The Carnegie Dunfermline Trust
Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust
The Robertson Trust
Co-op Membership Community Fund IET Education Fund
The Russell Trust
Edinburgh Airport Community Fund
James Clerk Maxwell Foundation
Tay Charitable Trust
Equitable Charitable Trust
John Watson’s Trust
The TC Charitable Trust
Gannochy Trust
The Martin Connell Charitable Trust
 
KEEP IN TOUCH, YEAR ROUND sciencefestival.co.uk
Helen Chomczuk
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL
@EdSciFest
Development Manager
Registered Office:
youtube.com/edscifest
helen@scifest.co.uk
Suite 1, Mitchell House
To discuss sponsorship and the ways
Juliet Tweedie
Edinburgh
in which a partnership with Edinburgh
Development Officer
EH6 7BD
International Science Festival can benefit
juliet@scifest.co.uk
0131 553 0320
Julie van den Driesche
Charity Number: SC003790
5 Mitchell Street
your business, please contact our Development Team on 0131 553 0327
Development Officer julie@scifest.co.uk